Living in Richmond without a car, or with one car for two adults, comes down to one question: how often does the bus come on your block? GRTC’s own pages answer most of it. The Pulse, GRTC’s bus rapid transit line, runs along Broad Street and Main Street between Willow Lawn and Rocketts Landing, every 10 minutes during weekday peaks and every 15 to 30 minutes at other times. And as of this writing, GRTC’s How to Ride page says all buses are zero fare, so there is no fare to pay on the Pulse or any other route.
How we defined “frequent.” We used 15 minutes or better on weekdays. Rather than rely on the color coding of GRTC’s downloadable system map, we read the weekday timetables posted on each route page of the GRTC system map. Between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. at each route’s first listed stop, three local routes ran every 15 minutes: Route 1 (Chamberlayne/Downtown), Route 5 (Cary/Main/Whitcomb) and Route 19 (West Broad Street). Every other local route ran every 30 minutes or less often. Schedules change, so check the route page before you sign anything.
Below, the picks follow the Pulse from west to east, then the 15-minute routes off Broad Street. That makes the list a map, not a ranking.
Along the Pulse, from Willow Lawn to Rocketts Landing
GRTC’s Pulse station list names 14 stops. These neighborhoods sit closest to them.
Near West End
Stations: Willow Lawn, Staples Mill. The Near West End sits next to the Pulse’s western terminal at Willow Lawn, which doubles as a transfer point: GRTC lists Routes 18, 19, 50, 76, 79 and 91 connecting there. That makes it the best base on this list if you also need buses into Henrico.
Wrong for: buyers on the southern blocks near Patterson Avenue who picture walking to Broad Street every day. Some streets here are a real hike from the station, and Route 76 (Patterson) runs about every 45 minutes.
Scott’s Addition
Stations: Scott’s Addition, with Science Museum a short walk east. Scott’s Addition has its own Pulse station, and Route 50 (Broad Street) and Route 20 (Orbital) also serve the neighborhood. Breweries, restaurants and groceries are on the same grid.
Wrong for: anyone who wants a detached house. Housing is mostly apartments and condos in new buildings and converted warehouses.
The Museum District
Stations: Science Museum, Allison Street. The Museum District is unusual because it has two ways in: the Pulse on Broad Street at the neighborhood’s northeast corner, and Route 5, which GRTC lists as serving the Museum District and which runs every 15 minutes on weekdays. Routes 76 (Patterson) and 77 (Grove) add slower service.
Wrong for: buyers who need guaranteed off-street parking. Many blocks are on-street only.
The Fan
Stations: Allison Street, VCU & VUU. The Fan gets the Pulse on Broad, Route 5 along Main and Cary streets in its southern half, and Routes 76 and 77, which GRTC also lists as serving the Fan. If you work at VCU or downtown, this is the easiest pick on the list.
Wrong for: buyers who want quiet streets year-round. The eastern Fan is next to VCU’s campus, with the traffic and student rentals that come with it.
Jackson Ward
Stations: Arts District, Convention Center. Jackson Ward is where the Pulse meets the north-side routes: Route 1 (Chamberlayne/Downtown) runs through every 15 minutes on weekdays, and Routes 3A, 3B, 3C and 14 also serve it, per GRTC’s route pages.
Wrong for: light sleepers on blocks near I-95 and I-64, which cut through the neighborhood.
Shockoe Bottom
Stations: Main Street Station, Shockoe Bottom. Shockoe Bottom has two Pulse stations plus Amtrak at Main Street Station, and Routes 12 (Church Hill), 4A (Montrose) and 14 connect here. It is the one neighborhood where bus, bus rapid transit and intercity rail meet. If you also go north for work, our guide to neighborhoods for commuting north to Fredericksburg, Northern Virginia and DC covers the train side.
Wrong for: buyers who want a yard or quiet weekend nights. Housing is mostly condos and lofts above a nightlife district.
Church Hill
Stations: East Riverfront, Rocketts Landing. Church Hill sits above the Pulse’s eastern end, and the stations are down on Main Street along the river. Up the hill, Route 12 (Church Hill) runs about every 30 minutes on weekdays and Route 4B (Oakwood/Darbytown) about hourly.
Wrong for: buyers at the top of the hill counting on the Pulse as a daily walk. The climb back up is steep, and the local buses are not frequent.
Off Broad Street: the 15-minute routes
Carytown
Routes: 5, 78, 20. Carytown has no Pulse station, but Route 5 (Cary/Main/Whitcomb) starts its run at Cary and Nansemond streets and leaves every 15 minutes on weekdays, connecting to the Pulse at Government Center. Route 78 (Cary/Maymont) and Route 20 (Orbital) run about every 45 minutes.
Wrong for: commuters who need to go west on Broad Street every day. That trip means a transfer.
North Side
Routes: 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, 3A, 3B, 3C, 14. North Side gets Route 1 along Chamberlayne Avenue every 15 minutes on weekdays, linking to the Pulse at Convention Center and Government Center. The North Avenue (2A, 2B, 2C) and Highland Park (3A, 3B, 3C) branches each run every 30 to 60 minutes on their own.
Wrong for: buyers several blocks off Chamberlayne who assume they will get 15-minute service. Away from Route 1, plan around 30- to 60-minute waits.
Get a saved search along the Pulse and the 15-minute routes
Pick the stations or routes you care about, and we will set up a saved search covering the Near West End, Scott’s Addition, the Museum District, the Fan, Jackson Ward, Shockoe Bottom, Church Hill, Carytown and North Side, so new listings near your line come to you first. Browse current listings, then ask us to build your saved search.
City of Richmond prices, August 2026
Every pick above is in the City of Richmond, so the most honest market figures are city-wide. These are not neighborhood figures.
| City of Richmond, city-wide | Median sold price | Year-over-year | Days on market | Months of supply | Closed sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family detached | $403,500 | -5.3% | 26 (+44.4%) | 1.4 (-33.3%) | 163 |
| Condo/townhouse | $355,000 | +16.4% | 45 (0.0%) | 3.2 (0.0%) | 38 |
| [DATA NEEDED: median price per square foot, August 2026, by area] | |||||
Source: Central Virginia Regional MLS (CVR MLS), via the Richmond Association of REALTORS housing reports: single-family and condo/townhouse sortable statistics for August 2026. Changes in parentheses are year-over-year. The condo figure rests on 38 closings, so one month can swing it.
Condos and townhomes matter more in this guide than in most, since Scott’s Addition, Shockoe Bottom and much of Jackson Ward are mostly attached housing. Our shortlist of low-maintenance townhome neighborhoods goes deeper.
Outside the city: what Henrico and Chesterfield actually get
GRTC’s local and express bus page says service runs in the City of Richmond and Henrico County, plus parts of Chesterfield, Goochland and Hanover counties. In Henrico, the standout is Route 19 (West Broad Street), which runs every 15 minutes on weekdays from Willow Lawn out to Short Pump. Chesterfield gets far less: the Route 1A branch reaches Chesterfield Towne Center along Midlothian Turnpike, and the 3B runs down US Route 1 to Brightpoint Community College, each about every 30 minutes. Most Chesterfield subdivisions have no fixed-route bus at all.
If you are weighing transit against walking or biking, compare this list with our guides to walkable neighborhoods for car-free living, bike-friendly neighborhoods and neighborhoods where you can walk to a grocery store.
Your transit-first saved search
Tell us which Pulse stations or 15-minute routes you want to live near, and we will keep one saved search running for those neighborhoods so you see new listings as they hit the market. Ask us to set it up, or browse current listings first.
Riding GRTC: questions buyers ask us
Can I bring a bike on the Pulse or a regular GRTC bus?
Yes. GRTC says standard bus racks hold two bikes with tires up to 2 1/4 inches wide and bikes up to 61 inches long, while Pulse racks hold three bikes with tires up to 3 1/4 inches wide and bikes up to 80 inches long. Bike share bikes are not allowed on the racks because they are too big and heavy.
What hours do GRTC buses run?
GRTC says its local and express buses run from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily, seven days a week. Express routes operate on weekdays only. Individual routes can start later or end earlier, so check the timetable for your route and stop.
Which side of Broad Street do I board the Pulse going east?
GRTC says stations on the southern side of the road are eastbound and stations on the northern side are westbound. Each station has a tall totem with the station name and an EASTBOUND or WESTBOUND marking, and GRTC asks riders to arrive five minutes before departure.
Is there on-demand service where the regular routes do not reach?
GRTC runs LINK microtransit in set zones, with curb-to-curb rides between any two points inside a zone and no fare required. You book through the GRTC On the Go app or by calling (804) 358-4782, with up to four passengers per booking. Check GRTC’s LINK page for the current zone maps and hours.
Are the Pulse buses changing?
GRTC is replacing standard buses on the Pulse with 60-foot articulated buses that have three doors and room for up to 122 passengers. They are being delivered in phases and are expected to be fully deployed by the end of 2026. GRTC notes that frequency may shift temporarily during the changeover.
Where do downtown bus transfers happen?
Many routes meet at GRTC’s Downtown Transfer Station, which opened in September 2023 with real-time destination boards, powered shelters, public Wi-Fi and a range of seating. GRTC describes it as its first dedicated off-street downtown transfer hub and has plans for a permanent station.
Can I take GRTC to Richmond International Airport?
Yes. Routes 7A (Nine Mile/Airport) and 7B (Nine Mile/Laburnum/Airport) run from downtown through Church Hill and the East End to the airport. Each branch’s weekday timetable shows buses about every 30 minutes during the day, and both connect to the Pulse at Government Center.
